The Red Rover eBook

“Say nothing about it, master Harry,”
returned the topman, with a peculiar glance of his
eye. “The sail has been flying finely, and
it is now too late to deny it: and so, I suppose,
the fact must be scored on the back of Richard Fid,
as you would put any other misfortune into the log.”

“I would he might be pardoned. I can venture
to promise, in his name, ’twill be the last
offence”—­

“Let it be forgotten,” returned the Rover,
struggling powerfully to conquer his passion.
“I will not disturb our harmony at such a moment,
Mr Wilder, by refusing so small a boon: but you
need not be told to what evil such negligence might
lead. Give me the glass again; I will see if the
fluttering canvas has escaped the eye of the stranger.”

The topman bestowed a stolen but exulting glance on
Wilder, and then the latter motioned the other hastily
away, turning himself to join his Commander in the
examination.

Chapter XXVI.

“As I am an honest man, he looks
pale: Art thou sick, or angry?”

Much ado about Nothing.

The approach of the strange sail was becoming rapidly
more and more visible to the naked eye. The little
speck of white, which had first been seen on the margin
of the sea, resembling some gull floating on the summit
of a wave, had gradually arisen during the last half
hour, until a tall pyramid of canvas was reared on
the water. As Wilder bent his look again on this
growing object, the Rover put a glass into his hands,
with an expression of feature which the other understood
to say, “You may perceive that the carelessness
of your dependant has already betrayed us!” Still
the look was one rather of regret than of reproach;
nor did a single syllable of the tongue confirm the
meaning language of the eye. On the contrary,
it would seem that his Commander was anxious to preserve
their recent amicable compact inviolate; for, when
the young mariner attempted an awkward explanation
of the probable causes of the blunder of Fid, he was
met by a quiet gesture, which said, in a sufficiently
intelligible language, that the offence was already
pardoned.

“Our neighbour keeps a good look-out, as you
may see,” observed the other. “He
has tacked, and is laying boldly up across our fore-foot.
Well, let him come on; we shall soon get a look at
his battery, and then may we come to our conclusion
as to the nature of the intercourse we are to hold.”

“If you permit the stranger to near us, it might
be difficult to throw him off the chase, should we
be glad to get rid of him.”

“It must be a fast-going vessel to which the
‘Dolphin’ cannot spare a top-gallant-sail.”

“I know not, sir. The sail in sight is
swift on the wind, and it is to be believed that she
is no duller off. I have rarely known a vessel
rise so rapidly as she has done since first we made
her.”

The youth spoke with such earnestness, as to draw
the attention of his companion from the object he
was studying to the countenance of the speaker.